Car-coupling



N um I n LU w R M 0 q d 0 M 0 w No. 419,721. Patented Jan. 21, 1890.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OEPHAS O. SHELBURN, OF ESOARBADA, TEXAS.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 419,721, dated January 21, 1890.

Application filed October 1'7, 1889. Serial No. 327,293- (No model.)

drawings, and to the letters of referencemarked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The invention relates to hook-and-catch couplers for railroad-cars; and it consists in making one which will automatically drop by turning in the quadrant of a circle as soon as the draw-heads of two cars strike together.

Figure l of the drawings is a plan view of two draw-heads connected by my coupler; Fig. 2, a perspective view of a draw-head with my coupler in a vertical position; Fig.3, a perspective view of the coupler, and Fig. 4 a plan view of a link to be used with a pincoupler.

In the drawings, A represents-the drawhead, having two parallel end hooks to a, with an open space a between them and a transverse open space a behind them.

B is the coupler, formed of a longitudinal bar I), with a cross-bar or catch b near each end. These catches are middle-pivoted, so as to have a little lateral play on curves of the track.

19 is a bail extending up vertically and made fast to thebar b, so as topermit uncoupling, and also to assist in supporting the coupling in its proper erect position. When two car drawheads bump together and the coupler stands vertically, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, the said coupler falls, so that its front catch engages the hooks of the opposite car. hen the draw-heads of two cars contact, the catches are in the open spaces a a and maybe lifted out of the hooks by means of the bail 12 which may be lifted by hand or by suitable mechanism.

When it is desired to couple with a car draw-head having a pin-coupler, I use the link 0 with a slot 0 near one end for the pin and a pivotedcross-bar c at the other end. This cross-bar fits under the overhang a of the draw-head, so as to be held in a horizontal plane while the link 0 is permitted the necessary lateral play.

Having thus described all that is necessary to a full understanding of my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to protect byLetters Patent, is

1. The end cross-barred coupler l3, provided with the rearwardly-bowed bail 11 in combination with a draw-head having the hooks a a and open spaces a a whereby said coupler B may be held perpendicular, as shown in Fig. 2 0f the drawings,- so as to couple automatically with the similar draw-head of another car, as described.

2. The link 0, having front slot 0 and pivoted cross-bar c, in combination with a drawhead having front hooks a a and rear overhangs a whereby two draw-heads may be coupled by hook and pin, as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CEPHAS C. SHELBURN.

WVitnesses:

J. B. STEVENS,

HEYsEE. 

